As we age, maintaining our independence becomes incredibly important, impacting our overall quality of life. The ability to get to and from places on our own is a massive part of this, because it allows us to stay connected with friends, attend necessary appointments, and undertake chores without relying on others.
Fortunately, there are plenty of transportation alternatives for seniors when the time comes to hang up the keys, which we’ll dive into below, along with the causes of driving difficulties, and common signs it’s time to stop driving. In doing so, we aim to provide you with peace of mind that hanging up the keys isn’t the end, but an exciting new beginning.
Causes of Driving Difficulties
There are various cognitive and physical changes outside of our control that impact our driving abilities as we age. These include:
Slower Reaction Times
The older you are, the slower your reflexes become, which can affect your ability to react quickly in urgent situations on the road. Stiff joints and muscles, and conditions like arthritis, are also more common in older age and play a significant role in this, as they make it more difficult, and at times, painful, to turn your head, brake safely, turn the steering wheel, or make sudden movements.
Vision Impairment
Proper vision is crucial for safe driving as it is the primary way you gather information on the road. For this reason, even a slight loss of vision can affect your driving, including how well you can read road signs and how clearly you can see objects in the distance, such as potential hazards and vehicles around you.
It’s a natural part of ageing to experience some changes or a loss of vision due to various age-related eye conditions. To ensure you’re able to effectively combat these conditions and stay safe on the road, it’s important you attend regular eye examinations with a qualified health professional.
Hearing Impairment
Hearing also plays a key role in driving, as it provides situational awareness and enables quick reactions to sounds and potential hazards outside your peripheral vision, alerting you to the need to pull over or get out of the way.
Very few people enter old age without some deterioration in their hearing; however, severe hearing loss can hinder one’s driving abilities and should be checked by a medical professional.
Cognitive Challenges
Driving safely on the road requires an individual to use all their cognitive abilities as they divide their attention among multiple tasks simultaneously. These responsibilities include looking at the road, listening to their environment, and paying attention to and reading traffic signs and signals.
Age-related cognitive decline can affect executive function, memory, attention span, and spatial awareness, impairing an individual’s ability to manage the above responsibilities and increasing the risk of unsafe driving.
Medical Conditions
Age-related chronic health conditions and impairments, such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and arthritis, can impact sensory and motor function as well as cognition, making safe driving increasingly difficult. The loss of limb movement or other bodily limitations, such as those following a stroke, can also affect your ability to drive safely.
Prescription Medications
Various classes of prescription medications, such as anti-depressants, sedatives, hypnotics, and strong painkillers, have side effects that impair your ability to drive safely, as they lead to drowsiness, slowed reaction time, and confusion on the road. If you’re unsure about the side effects of your medication, please speak to your prescribing doctor or pharmacist.
Signs It’s Time to Stop Driving
It’s time to stop driving if you or your loved one experiences:
- Multiple Traffic Fines: Receiving multiple infractions for improper or dangerous driving.
- Accidents or Frequent Near Misses: As a result of age-related health challenges.
- Body Damage on the Car: New damage to the car as a result of unsafe driving.
- Memory Issues: Getting lost in familiar places.
- Moments of Confusion: Forgetting rules, struggling to interpret signs and traffic lights, etc.
- Reluctance to Drive: Feelings of anxiety or fear behind the wheel.
- Family and Friends’ Observations: Family and friends note your unsafe driving.
Safe Transport Alternatives for Seniors
You may be fearful of hanging up the keys, and we get it; it’s a huge transition. The reality, however, is that for seniors, there are plenty of transport options available when you stop driving that still allow you to maintain your independence and enjoy life just as you used to. These include:
My Aged Care Transport Options
Through My Aged Care, the Australian government provides transport services, although the exact type will depend on the specific program you’re on. My Aged Care’s transport services are either direct (your own private transport or community bus) or indirect (rideshare and taxi vouchers). They are designed to help you run everyday errands, attend medical appointments or join in on community events or social activities.
Public Transport
Brisbane’s public transport network is extensive, making it easy to get to wherever you need to be. It is also now the Australian city with the most affordable public transport: all travel on Translink services (trains, trams, buses, CityCats, and ferries) in Queensland is 50 cents, regardless of how far or how often you travel.
Individuals with a Seniors Go Card can also travel on council buses, CityCats, and ferries for free during off-peak times.
Community or Volunteer Transport Providers
There are plenty of community providers of shared and private transport in Brisbane, specifically for seniors who need to get to medical appointments, run errands, or attend social gatherings. However, it should be noted that some of these services require eligibility screening through My Aged Care or the NDIS.
- Brisbane City Council Cabs (Brisbane): Subsidised transport services (for eligible individuals) in Brisbane for those who need help getting around the city.
- TransitCare (QLD): Accessible transport services for those with a My Aged Care package. Also, a Council Cab provider in Brisbane.
- Star Community Services (QLD): Not-for-profit provider of personalised transport services for those with an approved NDIS or My Aged Care package.
- Comlink Australia (Aus-wide): Friendly, door-to-door community transport service for individuals with a My Aged Care package. Wheelchair and scooter accessible.
Taxi Subsidy Scheme (TSS)
Through the Taxi Subsidy Scheme, the Australian government subsidises taxi travel for eligible individuals, paying half the fare, up to a maximum of $30 per trip. There is no limit on the number of taxi trips you must take to be eligible for the subsidy.
Retirement Village Transport
Most retirement villages and senior living communities offer both scheduled and community transport services for shopping, appointments, social events, and other outings. It’s important to note that the specific transport service will depend on the village.
How the Village Retirement Group Helps Seniors Maintain Independence Without Car Keys
We understand that hanging up the keys is hard; it can feel like you’re handing over the keys to your independence, when really, you’re far from it.
At The Village, each of our purpose-built communities has been designed to encourage independence, from the physical design of each amenity to our calendar of social events and activities, and just about everything in between.
Aligning with this sentiment, we are also a registered Support at Home Provider and offer a range of home-care services, including private transportation to help you get to wherever you need to be. Our support workers may also join you on these adventures, offering assistance and companionship when needed.
